Improvement in locks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANDOLPH S. FOSTER, OF SING SING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF,

CORNELIUS WALSH, AND JOHN C.y NOBLES.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 39,006, dated June 23, 1863.

To' a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RANDOLPH S. FosrER, of Sing Sing, inthe county of Westchester and State ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk or Hasp Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makinga part thereof, and of this speciiication, in which- Figure l represents the face-plate of the lock. Fig. 2 represents the interior thereof. Fig. 3 represents the key. Fig. 4 represents the hasp. Fig. 5 represents the hub and keyslot therein. Fig. 6 represents the bit-plates.

Similar letters of reference, where they oocur in the separate igures, denote like parts ofthe lock in all the drawings.

My invention consists in so combining and arranging the key-bits, central turning-hub, bit-plates, and hasp-catch, as that by turning the key in one direction the lock shall be unlocked, and by continuing to turn the key in the same direction be again locked.

To enable others skilled in theart to make and use this lock l will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

rThe face-plate A has two slotsin it, a b, the one,a, being for the stem cof the hub B, as also for the key-slot, which slot or opening may be escutcheoned, as at d, to prevent the keyslot from being bruised or worn. The other slot, b, is for receiving the catch c of the hasp O.

D represents the bit-plates, of which there are three shown, but more or less may be used without changing the characteristics of the lock. Springsf are connected with the bitplates, to hold them in a certain jfixed position when not acted upon by the key or hub. The openings in the bit-plates are of rectangular form, those g being of an I form, and the others, h, of a rectangular shape. The hey E has three bits, l 2 3, corresponding in number with the bit-plates D. A portion of the hub B, as at i, is cut away to allow the bit-plates to be moved by their springs f, to throw the tongues j thereof into the steps 4 5 6 of the hasp-catch e when this portion t arrives at the proper position for locking the hasp,as shown in Fig. 2. One of the bit-plates has a wider margin at its lower end than the others, and in this wide margin is made a slot,k, through which the key passes when inserted,

and the opening 7v of the key straddles this margin and allows it to turn around. When the key isinserted, and it and the hub are turned around, the key-bits take against the bars Z of the bit-plates and move and arrange said plates so that the tongues j shall be withdrawn from the hasp-catch, and then the hasp may be moved out, and by again pushing in the hasp-catch, and continuing to turn the key in the same direction, the hasp will be locked. One entire revolution of the key and hub both unlocks and locks the hasp. When the key and hub are turned threefourths of the entire revolution, the hasp is unlocked. Then they are turned the remaining one-fourth of a revolution, it is again locked, and the key may be removed. The

hub adds great security to the lock, as it cuts off communication between the key-hole and the bit-plates; but should access be had to the bit-plates, and they be moved, there is nothing, without the proper key, that will stop them at the exact unlocking position, and until they are all at this exact spot the hasp cannot be drawn out. Should they be moved a fraction too far, then the tongues m take into the hasp-catch and continue to hold it. Thus by a very simple and cheap construction of trunk or hasp locks. I make them comparatively pick-proof. W'hen the key and hub are first turned, the concentric portion n of the hub partially moves the bit-plates, but not enough to withdraw the tongues j from the haspcatch; but when the' key-bits come against the bars Z they complete the arrangement of them, putting them into their exact unlocking position, and then the hasp is free. The key being very delicate, the key-slot is correspondingly small and inaccessible to a pick. The hub gives to the key great protection and strength, as it embraces much of it within itself.

Having thus fully described the nature and operation of my trunk or hasp lock, WhatI claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination and arrangement ofthe key, hub, bit-plate, and hasp-catch, so as to operate with each, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

RANDOLPH S. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN R. HAINEs, JOHN C. NoBLEs. 

